# Workington Lifeboat Station

Workington Lifeboat Station is located at the North Jetty, on the Prince of Wales Dock, in the port of Workington, on the west coast of Cumbria.
A lifeboat was first stationed at Workington by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1886.
The station currently operates a davit launched Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat, 13-19 Dorothy May White (ON 1326), on station since 2017, and a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, John F. Mortimer (D-767), on station since 2014.

## History

At daybreak on Saturday 19 September 1885, just the top portion of a ship's mast was spotted above the water, off Mossbay Point, between Harrington and Workington. The crew had taken to the rigging when the vessel was wrecked. The one remaining survivor was soon seen to be washed away. The tug Derwent put out from Workington, towing a harbour boat with four men aboard, but the boat capsized, and one man was also lost. The vessel was the schooner Margaret of Ramsey, Isle of Man. The bodies of the two crew, William Cowle and William Kennish, and the Master, Robert Christian, were found washed up on the beach. James Henry Christian, aged 13, the Master's son, was found later.
It was following this wreck and loss of life, that requests were made to the RNLI for the provision of a lifeboat at Workington, which was agreed. A lifeboat house and slipway were constructed at a cost of £395.
The lifeboat, a 34-foot self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, was pulled on its carriage, drawn by eight horses, through the town in a grand procession. At a ceremony at the shore, south of the pier, the lifeboat was named the Dodo (ON 79), in accordance of the wishes of Miss Harrison, the lady donor from London. Accepted by the District Inspector of Life-boats, Lt. Tipping, RN, the boat was handed over to the care of the local RNLI committee.
In 1891, the lifeboat house was relocated to the beach south of John's Pier. A replacement boat was placed on service in 1899, unusually, being older than the first boat. Previously named Theodore and Herbert (ON 33) at Southend-on-Sea, it was renamed Dodo at Workington. Just six years later, it is believed that works on the piers at Workington forced the closure of the lifeboat station in 1905.
By 1948, the nearest lifeboat station at Maryport was beginning to suffer from silting of the harbour. In order to maintain a lifeboat service on the Solway coast, the Workington station was re-established. Maryport Lifeboat Station closed in 1949. In what would be her last assignment, already now 26-years-old, a 45-foot Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat named The Brothers (ON 671) was placed at Workington, serving for 4 years until her retirement. She was replaced in February 1952 for just one year, by the former Barrow lifeboat, a slightly larger 45-foot 6in Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat, named N. T. (ON 701), which was already 25-years-old when she arrived at Workington. The requested names of the donors, Eliza Norman and M. E. Thompson, were inscribed on a plaque inside the boat.
In March 1953, Workington received the Manchester and Salford XXIX (ON 841), a 10-year-old 46-foot Watson-class non-self-righting lifeboat, which had previously served at Pwllheli.
At 21:25 on the 27 January 1974, the relief lifeboat City of Edinburgh (ON 802) was launched in extremely rough conditions, to the fishing vessel Kia Ora, broken down off Hestan Island, in Auchencairn Bay, and dragging her anchor. In the very poor conditions, the lifeboat was brought alongside, and at the second attempt, six men and a 10-year-old boy were recovered. Coxswain Albert Brown was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal, the first and only such award for gallantry at Workington.
In 1990, the Solent lifeboat Douglas Currie (ON 1021) was placed on service for two years. The lifeboat was 17-years-old at this time, having previously served at four other lifeboat stations in Scotland. At the same time, a two-year-old relatively new carriage-launched Mersey-class lifeboat from the relief fleet was placed at Workington, on trial from 4 July 1990 until 3 January 1991, to evaluate shore launches and recovery.
Shore launching was clearly not suited to the geography at Workington. On 8 June 1992, the station would receive a Tyne-class lifeboat from the relief fleet, 47-028 Sir John Fisher (ON 1141), funded by a gift from the Sir John Fisher Foundation, and the bequests of Frances Elizabeth Jackson and Mabel Annie Young. To accommodate the boat, a new boathouse was constructed on the quay at the Prince of Wales Dock, with a workshop, drying room, shower/toilet facilities, a fuel storage tank and crew-room. In a unique method of launching an All-weather lifeboat in the UK, the boat is set on a rail carriage in the boathouse. At time of launch, the boat is rolled out of the boathouse, and then a special launch davit system picks up the boat, which is then lowered into the water.
At a coastal review in 2004, it was decided to also place an Inshore lifeboat at Workington. Following a brief period with the relief lifeboat Spirit of RAOC (D-461), the D-class (IB1) lifeboat The Shannock (D-629) was placed on service on 12 August 2004.
On 7 December 2011, the fishing vessel George Lou-N suffered engine problems, and was being smashed against the North Pier, in very rough conditions and a force 10 gale, and with a severely injured man on board. At great personal risk, RNLI divisional maintenance manager Andrew Philip Rodgers jumped onto the vessel from the Pier to assist, and the lifeboat Sir John Fisher (ON 1141) managed to get a tow established. The vessel was brought into the harbour without damage, and the man's life was saved. Coxswain John Stobbart and Mr Rodgers were both accorded the 'Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum'.
In 2017, Workington would receive a new £2.2 million Shannon-class lifeboat. Named 13-19 Dorothy May White (ON 1326), it would be the first brand new lifeboat assigned to the station for 131 years, since the very first boat, Dodo (ON 79), in 1886.

## Station honours

The following are awards made at Workington.
* RNLI Bronze Medal
       Albert Brown, Coxswain - 1974
* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       John Stobbart, Coxswain - 2001
       John Stobbart, Coxswain - 2012
       Andrew Philip Rodgers, Divisional Maintenance Manager - 2012
* British Empire Medal
       John Stobbart, Coxswain - 2020QBH

## Workington lifeboats
### 'Pulling and Sailing' lifeboats

| ON | Name | Build | In service | Class | Comments |
| 79 | Dodo | 1886 | 1886−1899 | 34-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S) | |
| 33 | Dodo | 1885 | 1899−1902 | 34-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S) | Previously Theodore and Herbert at Southend-on-Sea, and reverted to that name in Nov 1902. |
| 33 | Theodore and Herbert | 1885 | 1902−1905 | 34-foot 2in Self-righting (P&S) | |
    Station closed in 1905

### All-weather lifeboats

| ON | Op.No. | Name | Build | In service | Class |
| 671 | − | The Brothers | 1922 | 1948−1952 | 45-foot Watson |
| 701 | − | N. T. | 1927 | 1952−1953 | 45-foot 6in Watson |
| 841 | − | Manchester and Salford XXIX | 1943 | 1953−1972 | 46-foot Watson |
| 887 | – | Sir Godfrey Baring | 1951 | 1972−1982 | 46-foot 9in Watson |
| 951 | – | Francis W. Wotherspoon of Paisley | 1959 | 1982−1986 | 47-foot Watson |
| 940 | – | Pentland (Civil Service No.31) | 1957 | 1986−1990 | 47-foot Watson |
| 1021 | 48-016 | Douglas Currie | 1973 | 1990−1992 | Solent |
| 1148 | 12-11 | Lifetime Care (Workington No.2) | 1988 | 1990−1991 | Mersey |
| 1141 | 47-028 | Sir John Fisher | 1989 | 1992−2017 | Tyne |
| 1326 | 13-19 | Dorothy May White | 2017 | 2017− | Shannon |

### Inshore lifeboats

| Op.No. | Name | In service | Class |
| D-461 | Spirit of RAOC | 2004 | D-class (EA16) |
| D-629 | The Shannock | 2004–2014 | D-class (IB1) |
| D-564 | Peter Bond | 2009–2010 | D-class (EA16) |
| D-767 | John F. Mortimer | 2014– | D-class (IB1) |
* 1 2 ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
* 1 2 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.